Poland mourns after Krakow mass killing described as act of terror

Krakow attack

Poland began two days of national mourning on Sunday after a 24-year-old man with far-right views drove into a busy central square in Krakow and opened fire, killing six people and wounding 15 others before police shot and wounded him.

The attack, which Poland’s defence minister described as an “act of terror,” happened on Saturday in Main Square, which is in the heart of Krakow’s Old Town and is a major tourist hub in the country’s second-largest city.

Victims and investigation

Four women and two men were killed in the Main Square shooting. Three of the women and one of the men were Polish, Krzysztof Jan Klęczar, the Malopolska regional governor, said on Sunday. A man from the U.K. and a woman from an unidentified foreign country were also among the dead.

Five non-Poles are among the wounded. They come from the U.K., Portugal, Russia, Germany and Austria.

Authorities also found the bodies of the assailant’s sister, mother and father at the man’s family home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, a city about 150 kilometres (93 miles) northeast of Krakow. They likely died from gunshot wounds.

The prosecutors said on Sunday they started an investigation for murder and attempted murder of numerous people, including police officers, with the act “constituting a terrorist offence.”

Police response

The two police officers who stopped the gunman, in actions authorities hailed as heroic, remain in hospital. One of them is still in a coma while the other woke up from a coma, Klęczar said. Officials launched an appeal for blood donations for the benefit of the most seriously wounded officer.

“If it weren’t for the efficient and selfless intervention of these two young men, the number of victims could have been significantly higher,” Klęczar said.

The perpetrator is also in a critical state, having been operated on multiple times. There was confusion on Saturday about the shooter’s age, with authorities first saying 24 and later 25. On Sunday they confirmed that he is 24.

Far-right views

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the suspect holds “very radical” and “ultranationalistic” views.

“Everything indicates that he was fascinated by far-right ideologies,” Kierwiński said at a news conference.

Klęczar said the assailant’s father owned over 10 guns legally and that the attacker also owned guns. Local officials in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski said they seized seven weapons from the family home, bringing the total number recovered to 11, including four found in the possession of the man in Krakow or in his car.

The Swit shooting club in Starachowice, where he is believed to have trained, issued a statement on Sunday saying it offered only “static shooting,” which involves firing from a fixed position at a stationary target. The club added that the suspect “was never trained in our club in the areas of dynamic, tactical or combat shooting.”

Why it matters

Mass shootings are uncommon in Poland. However, in mid-October three attacks at schools in the central province of Mazovia took place within four days, leaving one person dead and many wounded, including children. The young attackers used knives or other sharp objects.

Around 411,000 people hold gun permits in Poland, which has a population of 37 million, and interest in gun ownership has been rising.

The Krakow shooter’s military gear, guns and overall look were similar to those of other “extreme right lone actors” committing attacks around Europe, said Kacper Rekawek, a senior researcher at the International Center for Counterterrorism in The Hague.

“We have had attempts before, but now we can say that these kinds of attacks have become successful in Poland.”

Sources

• ctvnews.ca: Krakow: Victims mourned, defence minister says 'act of terror'
• nationalheraldindia.com: Poland mourns rare mass killing, authorities say killer had far-right views
• stuff.co.nz: Poland mourns rare mass killing, authorities say attacker had far-right views | Stuff

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.